Wheaton College protests school district's plan to take land

District 41 wants to use eminent domain, build new junior high

Wheaton College officials say they will fight Glen Ellyn District 41's plan to take over 15 acres at 1825 College Ave. to build a new junior high school. (Quan Truong, Chicago Tribune)

Wheaton College officials say they will fight Glen Ellyn District 41's plan to take over 15 acres along College Avenue being eyed as a location for a new junior high school.

The school district declared its interest in buying the property at 1825 College Ave., and stated in a recent newsletter that, if the college will not negotiate, the district would consider using eminent domain, a common way for government entities to buy property from unwilling owners for the sake of public use.

"The (board of education) feels there is a clear need for the land and may pursue the property through all appropriate means," the newsletter stated.

But Wheaton College leaders called the plan "poorly conceived" and promised to fight the forced sale of the land currently used for a variety of efforts, including the Repeat Boutique resale shop and services provided to refugees.

"The question isn't why won't we sell it, but why would we?" said Wheaton College's attorney, Christian Poland. "The district recognizes that this property is one of the best around. The college had the foresight to purchase this property when it was available."

Glen Ellyn District 41 officials have said it wants to use $3 million in reserves to buy the site, a number Poland rebuffed. The college recently acquired 5.3 acres of nearby land for $8 million, which puts the value of what District 41 wants over $20 million, he said. Wheaton College bought the land in 1997 for more than $4 million.

District 41 Superintendent Ann Riebock hoped the college would at least entertain negotiations.

"We will keep that door open....(The land) would be used as educational property, which really aligns well with their mission," Riebock said Wednesday.

The property currently is used for a faculty art studio, campus maintenance workshop and warehouse storage for library archives and equipment. Some building space is also leased to non-profit Christian ministries, including World Relief, Repeat Boutique Center. The fields are used for sports team practices and intramural sports.

The district has been looking for years for land to locate a new junior high school in the central-west portion of its district.

"(This land) means a great deal for us. We've tried to turn over every possible scenario and every stone available to us, and this is the best decision we could make," Riebock said.

The district has consulted with legal counsel and is confident that it has the right to pursue the property, Riebock said.

"With any legal process, there are always twists and turns that you might not anticipate," she said.

This would be the first time, to Poland's knowledge, that a government entity has tried to take Wheaton College's property through eminent domain.

The college is established by a charter, he said, which gives it unique defenses that other property owners do not have.

The board of education is scheduled to vote at its April 8 meeting on a resolution to make an official offer for the site.